Team of the Year — Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team arrived on the national scene for the first time in 13 years. The team beat SMU and Penn State in the early season Cancun Challenge. Despite losing its first five MVC games, the squad battled back to win nine of its last 13 regular season contests and earned the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. Bradley defeated Missouri State, defending champion Loyola-Chicago and Northern Iowa in St. Louis to capture the program’s first MVC tournament title since 1988. The team made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2006 and as the No. 15 seed, and fell to No. 2 seed Michigan State after leading at halftime.
...
Coach of the Year — Brian Wardle
Wardle, in his fourth year as the men’s basketball head coach, guided the team to the NCAA Tournament. He has improved or maintained the team’s record each season at the helm. His efforts led Bradley back from an 0-5 start in Valley play, in addition to an 18-point second half comeback in the MVC title game. The team only suffered one loss when Wardle wore his shiny red dancing shoes.
2. Jarred Dixon hits a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to beat Illinois StateBefore breaking out in NBA Finals, Fred VanVleet tortured MSU because of Dana Ford--Springfield News-Leader
With time winding down and the Bears down three, a pile of Bears and Redbirds struggled to pick up a loose ball at midcourt.
Senior Jarred Dixon picked up the ball and heaved up a prayer in desperation right before the buzzer sounded.
The ball banked off the backboard and in. Missouri State defeated Illinois State 66-65 on a halfcourt shot at the buzzer for one of the more memorable plays in the program's history.
YEP. THAT. HAPPENED. 🗣️
— Missouri State Athletics (@MissouriStBears) February 11, 2019
The shot heard around the Q!!!#MSUBears #SCTop10 #PackTheQ pic.twitter.com/wYMm0zsePV
"It couldn't have happened to a more deserving kid than Jarred Dixon," first-year Bears head coach Dana Ford said. "A close second would be Ryan Kreklow. Just happy for our players."
The win moved Missouri State into a three-way tie for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference. It helped solidify the Bears as a conference championship contender for the remainder of the season.
Other MSU men's basketball moments: Bears beat Loyola in Chicago, Dana Ford's debut ends in a win.
1. Lady Bears defeat Iowa State to advance to Sweet 16
Missouri State pulled off one of the great upsets in school history to give fans one of the most memorable games in the history of the storied program.
The Lady Bears defeated Iowa State 69-60 in Ames, Iowa, to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history.
MSU entered the game as heavy underdogs and emerged as the Cinderella story of the entire tournament as it was the lowest-remaining seed in the Sweet 16.
"That was amazing," Kellie Harper said in awe. "I'm so proud of this team, and I think the thing that makes me the most proud is the way we just went out and played basketball the way we've been playing and we were able to win it by doing it our way.
"This is a dream come true."
Lebanon native Alexa Willard knocked down a turnaround jumper with 4:04 to go after Iowa State cut MSU's lead to one late. Sydney Manning followed with a 3-pointer on the team's next possession to go up six.
Iowa State star Bridget Carleton — a Wooden finalist — was tough for the Lady Bears to contain as she dropped 31 points.
But the Lady Bears were able to hang on for one of the great wins in MSU history — on the road at one of the toughest environments in women's basketball — to advance to the Sweet 16.
Other Lady Bear moments: Beating DePaul in the first round, beating Drake in the MVC Tournament championship, beating Drake and Northern Iowa during a regular-season road trip, Amaka Agugua-Hamilton introduced as new head coach
Share your feedback to help improve our site experience!
No comments:
Post a Comment